Runner who loves the off road

Nearly over the stiffness and getting back into the training.Looking forward to doing lots of speedwork which will hopefully result in improving my times for 5k,5mile and 10k.Recently ive taken in a lot of information about training and realize my base mileage pace is too quick so ive begun to do my morning short run over cross country where you cannot fail to run slower.Monday gone i done some 90 second intervals (60r) and ran really quick on tired legs.Im now off to the Running club for a Pyramid effort session.Fingers Crossed.

At Yesterdays Amsterdam Marathon i got a pb by 1.40 and in the circumstances i really was pleased with how i done.In the build up i got a heavy cold/flu and on the Friday Evening i felt i couldnt do the race.On the Sunday Morning with the help of Vicks and Paracetemol i felt better and as the Mile flew by at an even pace i was well on course passing 10 miles in 1.00.34.The next 4 miles were into quite a headwind but i still felt good picking people right off until 18 miles where my left calf began to tighten quite a lot.I shrugged it off as you get nowhere quitting and even on 20 miles in 2.01.36 and was on course for a 2.40-2.41 but running on my own coupled with the wind as well as hitting a little bit of a wall AND my calf developing into a pull or tear my pace dropped 25-30 secs per mile.This is when i became most proud of myself as i showed good resilience to persevere finishing in 2.43.22 a pb by 1.40.I now know i can knock large chunks off my pb in the future starting at London

only 6 days to go before my 2nd Amsterdam Marathon and as last year the doubts are creeping in.Reminding myself that ive done all i can.Into 2nd of Carbohydrate Depletion/Loading and dont feel too clever but worth trying out after a few of the Morpeth lads and and few of older Blyth Marathon Runners reckon it really works.

That time of the year again and the Blyth Running clubs annual Autumn Relays at the Kitty Brewster industrial estate.3 on a team of different ability.Our team was in effect out of it after leg1 but i really gave 100% and managed 12.19 for the 2.35 mile course which worked out at 5.14 ave per mile.This really was quite encouraging and gives me hope for the spell of winter speed training i intend to do after the Marathon.It was the 2nd quickest on the night and although some of the older members of the club always go on about the past glorys i believe Paul Whalley,Ash Henderson or my self will beat the relay fastest leg time of 11.42 by Andy Brown.

At yesterdays Great north run i enjoyed the day but my time was disapointing 1.17.44 which although its the quickest ive done in 2008 it was a pb i was after.The course itself is in my opinion not a pb course with all them inclines.It was great however that me and Paul Whalley from Blyth RC both finished in the top 100 and Dave Kirkland finally done his sub 2.30 target at the Loch Ness Marathon.